Five men accused of masterminding the 2022 attack on Saint Francis Catholic Church in Owo, Ondo State, have pleaded not guilty to terrorism charges filed by the Federal Government.
The suspects, Idris Omeiza, Al-Qasim Idris, Jamiu Abdul Malik, Abdulhaleem Idris and Momoh Abubakar, appeared before Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday. They face nine counts, including alleged membership of the Al-Shabab terrorist group with a cell operating in Kogi State.
Justice Nwite ordered that they be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services and set August 19, 2025, for the start of the trial.
According to the charges, the men met in different locations in Kogi and Ondo States between May and June 2022 to plan the attack, which prosecutors say was carried out in line with their religious ideology. They are accused of using AK-47 rifles and improvised explosive devices to kill and injure worshippers during Sunday mass.
When the charges were read, all five pleaded not guilty. Prosecuting lawyer Calistus Eze asked the court to keep them in DSS custody until trial begins. Defence lawyer Abdullahi Muhammad requested that the court order the DSS to allow the defendants’ families and lawyers to see them, saying they had been held since 2022 without such access.
Eze did not oppose the request but said family and lawyer visits require a formal written application. He admitted that at this stage, the defendants needed to meet with their lawyers to prepare their defence.
Justice Emeka Nwite ordered that the men remain in DSS custody but directed that they be allowed access to their families and legal counsel. The trial is set to start on August 19.
Their arraignment comes three years after the then Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, announced their arrest. The National Security Council had linked the church attack to the Islamic State West Africa Province.
The bombing left more than 40 worshippers dead and many others injured when armed men stormed the church during Sunday mass.
At the time, the late Ondo State governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, condemned the killings, calling them a crime against humanity. He renewed calls for the creation of state police, saying, “A single police command cannot guarantee safety in this country. We must have state police now. We are doing our best with Amotekun, but Amotekun is suffering a lot of limitations in getting all the equipment needed to fight these criminals.”
